A Really Rotten Day

I went into overload today on Katrina news. The story of the man who lost his wife because he couldn't hold on to her hand as their house split apart was too heart wrenching. Then the news that another levee was breeched in NO and that virtually all of the city would be underwater by tomorrow, the entire city will have to be evacuated and the realization that New Orleans will no longer be New Orleans was just too much to bear. I did what I always do when I'm depressed, I went to Walmart.

Walmart is good therapy, you can always escape by looking at "all the stuff." One of my favorite pasttimes is seeing if I can find anything "American Made." But that's another story.

Today, I ran into a group who has just ran into one another, they were from Slidell. They didn't know each other, but they immediately were best friends. I eavesdropped for awhile on their conversation. Basically, they were trying to find out news of any kind from home, they swapped contact numbers for FEMA, the Red Cross, or any agency that might help. They weren't sure when they would be able to return home or whether or not they had a home. Someone said maybe Friday. In all they were rather upbeat.

When I finally made it to checkout there was a lady there purchasing phone cards. She was from New Orleans. I asked how she was holding up and if she new anything about her home. Her response was God must really be testing us. She was sure her house had been flooded and didn't know when she could return, or when, if ever, she and her husband would be able to work, or make their house payment, or be able to file a claim for insurance. Things we may take for granted at any given point in time. But she said, "We'll be alright, we'll manage." She was able to smile, I know it took courage for her to smile, but somehow I believe she and her family will make it.

Some of you don't know how hard it is for Red Dog to keep his mouth shut about some of the obvious mishandling of this situation, but I'm not going there for now out of respect for those that have lost their lives and their homes and their livelihood. However, I will say Fred Barnes is a Jerk and that is the nicest thing I can say about him. Wingnut's rhetoric was "We" shouldn't have to pay for rebuilding those homes in NO and the Coast "because they chose to live there." I'm sorry, Fred, the people I saw being rescued from their roof tops didn't seem to be the favored elite class that enjoyed the Bush tax cuts. (Fred started it.)

Anyhow. Does anyone know any information about Gautier, other than Aaron Brown doesn't know how to pronounce it? I've got friends that live there and can't find anything out. Communications is nonexistent.

Hopefully tomorrow will be a better day, particularly for those affected by Katrina.